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Coping in the face of climate change: Research announced to better support our communities

A new report released by the the Deep South National Science Challenge, Communities and climate change: Vulnerability to rising seas and more frequent flooding, highlights key gaps in our collective understanding about how climate change will impact Aotearoa New Zealand’s diverse communities.

SOLGM's Climate Change and Local Government Forum on 21-22 June in Wellington is sponsored by, and features several speakers associated with, the Deep South National Science Challenge.

Government’s approach to three waters reform (from Water New Zealand's Pipeline)

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta outlined the government’s approach to much-needed water sector reform when she spoke to Water New Zealand members at a recent Water Utilities’ Association meeting in Wellington.

At the end of April, the Government released its cabinet paper Review of the three waters infrastructure: key findings and next steps, which outlines the next stage in the review process.

Changes to SOLGM's Executive

We are pleased to announce two new members of our Executive. Representing the 45 South Branch is Tanya Winter, Director Policy Planning and Resource Management at Otago Regional Council. And representing the Midlands Branch is Steve Fabish, Group Manager - Community Services at Hauraki District Council.

Wellington members have been invited to elect the representative for their area on SOLGM's Executive from 2018-2020. Voting closes 31 May.

Community Plan Forum programme published

The full programme for the 13-14 August Forum in Rotorua has been published.

The Community Plan Forum is for those starting the journey to the 2021-31 long-term plans. This Forum brings together those local government managers and staff who are involved in direction-setting, community planning and engagement processes.

The year after adoption of an LTP is always something of a voyage of discovery as councils identify the trends and issues that shape the approach to the 2021 LTP. We’ll present the results of a Kiwi-based environmental scan using a tool imported from the States, we’ll get the annual economic data, and we’ll talk about forecasting risks and what happens when forecasts turn to custard.

Just as councils are doing their internal debriefing in the weeks after an LTP, the sector needs to reflect on the best and worst of LTP 2018. The results from this are always important for identifying the legislation that works (and what doesn’t) and shaping SOLGM’s suite of LTP related guidance. This includes hearing from the audit sector.

We’ll also have a section on the LTP as a living document – including LTP culture and some reminders of the means and tests for making change and what steps to take.

And, as always, we have the best and most inspirational of the new and innovative in community engagement including those honoured in the Giblin Group sponsored Council - Community Relations Category of the 2018 McGredy Winder SOLGM Excellence Awards®.

Who should attend:
- Chief Executives
- Strategic or corporate planners
- Communications managers and staff
- Policy people
- Anyone else who works on, or with, community plans and planning

Annual Member Survey
If you are a member of SOLGM and haven’t yet completed our short 2018 Member Survey, please do because survey responses will guide our actions over the next 12 months. The survey has twelve questions and it should take no more than five minutes to complete. If you haven’t yet received an email invitation, please check your junk mail. If it isn’t in there, please contact us at info@SOLGM.org.nz so we can get an email invitation out to you.